The Centralia R-6 School District has successfully doubled the amount of beef served in its school lunch program through a collaborative partnership with Savannah’s Farm Fresh and several other local farming operations. MO Beef Kids, operating under the Foundation for Food and Farm Connections, serves as the driving force behind this initiative.
The organization’s primary mission is to increase the presence of beef on students’ lunch trays, emphasizing both its nutritional value and the importance of connecting food directly from farm to table. However, the Foundation for Food and Farm Connections acknowledges that achieving this goal would not be feasible without the dedicated involvement of local farmers.
“We work with local farmers and ranchers to beef up school lunches,” said Luella Gregory, director of the foundation. “I always say we are a guiding light at the state level, but the magic really happens at the local level.”
Savannah Moore, owner and operator of Savannah’s Farm Fresh in Centralia, established a partnership with the school district to supply beef for student lunches. Her connection to farming runs deep, having begun her agricultural journey while she herself was a student within the very same school district.
“I showed my first calf in 4H when I was 8, so that was a long time ago,” Moore said. “That calf I sold direct to someone that my family knew, so I have been selling beef, and we also sell lamb direct to consumer for a long time.”
Contributions to the program come in various forms, as community members have the option to donate either financially or by providing beef directly to the school district’s initiative.
Moore’s daughter, Paisley, is currently enrolled in the Centralia school district and takes considerable pride in her family’s contribution to the lunch program.
“Paisley is very proud; she cares a lot about the super nachos and the walking tacos,” Moore said.
As part of the program, schools display posters in their cafeterias identifying the specific farm from which the beef was sourced, fostering a meaningful connection between students and their local agricultural community.
“Whether they are enjoying a taco, a burger or spaghetti on their tray, they can connect to that face and that farm family in the community,” Gregory said. “It also highlights the nutrients found in beef, so again we can plant that seed of knowledge with them so they can feel good about what they are eating.”
Superintendent Steven Chancellor expressed his pride in the program and the remarkable progress it has achieved within a relatively short period of time.
“It’s really a full-circle moment for us to partner with our local producers, talk to our students about how you’re eating food that was grown within just miles from here,” Chancellor said. “So far we are hearing from them, we can see a difference, smell a difference, taste a difference, so it makes it all worth it.”
Beef contains 10 essential nutrients along with important B-vitamins, and the Foundation for Food and Farm Connections maintains that these qualities are actively contributing to students’ overall well-being and performance.
“From a physical and a cognitive development standpoint, it helps them feel fuller longer but also provides those key nutrients that help support them in a healthy and active lifestyle,” Gregory said.
Student enthusiasm for the program has been evident, with many looking forward to designated lunch days featuring locally sourced beef.
“We try to make a big deal out of it as, ‘Today’s Thursday, it’s Centralia beef day, here’s what we are having,'” Chancellor said.
Moore, a former member of Centralia FFA , the organization responsible for managing monetary donations to the school , reflected warmly on her longstanding connection to the program and its broader significance.
“I loved FFA growing up, I got a lot out of FFA, so it’s fun to work with them and it feels good to put healthy food into the school system and help keep our kids fueled,” Moore said. “You see so much about protein right now but, really beef is a great source of protein, so I feel proud that we are putting good beef into our school system.”
